Motor bus



Feb. 28. 1928.

H. A. FITZJOHN MOTOR BUS 2 Sheets-snee: 1

Filed June l0, 1925 Feb. 2s. 192s.

H. A. FITZJOHN MOTOR BUS Filed June 10. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Feb. ze, 1928. y i

, l A 1.660,37?- UNITED PIA-TENT, orifice. j

HARRY A. FITzJoI-IN, 'oFM-UsKnGoN. MICHIGAN, Assicivon To y-iafI'rzJoHn TUBING COMPANY, y OIE Y:MIUSKEGfON', MICHIGAN.

MANUFAC- moron mrs.

application mea 11111510.1925.l lserial No. 36,126.

provide a motor bus'or motor .passenger veliicle with a rear door which may lbeppened for exit-or emergency-purposes and with 1mproved means foi-operating the saine from,"

the front of the'vehicle. y a i A 'further object is to provide an improved door operating means for motor vehicles in which the operating connections from Vthe front of the vehicle are so disposedas to be effectively protected from injury on account ofrspringingfof the vehicle and are not `likely to become inoperative in case of accidents.`

A still further object is to provide an iinproved door operating means in `which theoperating lever is convenientlyV positioned relative to the drivers seat and one 4in which the operating lever is not .likely to be vconfused with other operating levers of the vehicle. n

Objectsy pertaining to details and economies of construction and `operation of vmy invention will deiinitely vappear from the detailed description to follow. l

I accomplish the objects ofy my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. vThe invention lis clearly defined and pointed out in the claims. A structure embodyingtheffeatui'es ofniy invention is clearly illustrated in .the Aaccompanying drawing forming apart of this'` application, in which:

bodyingthe featuresvof my inventionfthe front door being open.

Fig. II is a detail central longitudinal section showing portions of the floor andY horizontal Vsection showing further details of the door operating connections, the transmission casing. being conventionally shown.

Fig. IV is adetail view partially in vertical section `on a line corresponding to .line

1-4 of'Figs. .I and-Vyshfowing details of the rear .door mounting. y y p f Fig. V isa `detail,horizontal section on line corresponding .to line 5-5of Fig. IV.

Fig. VI, is Ia `fragmentary view in section on la yline corresponding toline 6-6 of Fig.V

Il .showing details of .the support for the' door :operating rod. j s

Fig. VII is afragmentary viewin section on ,fa -li-ne corresponding to line 7-7 of Fig. Y II showing further details'ol the support i y' 'forfthedoorfoperating rod.

In the drawing the sectional views are takei'ilooking, in the -direction of thel little arrows :atathe ends of the sectionvlines and simi-lar, numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughoutthe several views.`

I have illustrated any improvements n .in ya motor bus in one form in whichI have em.-

bodied the lsame commercially. The body .designated .generally by the numeral 1 isy provided -vvith a ioor 2 having a plurality lof cross.sillsk3, f4 and 5. These sillsare substantially thesame in structure, being made upl-of wood and channel iron as illustratedj,.

different referencenu-meralsfbeing used for convenience in defining their relation to other coacting parts. e .a

.The body is provided with a rear door platformv -6 disposed ina plane below theplane l-oHtl-ie .licor f2. The 'drivers seat 7 `is aman-ged at the front of the vehicle and at the left side of the' longitudinal center of the vehicle.` The door vSuis of the collapsible section-type andi-s supported kon the vertical ,Y shaft ,9, .the lowerl end of whichprojects Fig. I is a side view of a motor bus .ein-

through the platform .6 .and .vi-s provided with anarm 10. This lslialittiis .supported at its upper and adjacent its lowerendby roller bearings 11 and 12 respectively. Y

Thefdoor is secured to the shaft .by the U- shapedstrapsl which embracethe rearedge of the -doerand :the shaft, pins `111 being agrrn-ged tliroughthese straps. VAn upright rockshat 15 is mounted on 'the Vhanger 16,y the hanger Ebeing .inountedl'onfthe chassis cross members 17 and 18. f On ythe lower .end ofth-is rocksha-ft is an arm 19 which is vconnected .to the arm 1A0'onkthe door operating shaft bymeans of the llink, 20. The upper end-of the rockshaft A,projects betweenv a pair 'ofthecrosssillsef the body vand is provided with an arm 21. This arm is 4connected to the operatingflever22 :byfmeansof thejoperating-11065123. 1 Y

; This operating rod is arranged through holes 24.- in the body cross members 4 and elongated holes in the body` cross'sills 5 Vare mounted on the same stud for a definite purpose and in a definite relation,the object being to prevent confusion `and at the same time loca-te'the levers so that they'iare con i veniently operated bythe driver occupying the seat 27. e i Y .i A

The lower end ofthe lever 22 projects ber-AV low its pivot and the connectin' rod isbent downwardly at 29 to passA under thecross sill 3 of the body and connect with the lower y member 32 on the body so that this segmentl end of the lever. "A `segment 30 is provided for the detent 8l of the lever,`the segment i being lconnected to the stud and to' a cross Serves as, a? brace for 'the outer end oi the pivotstud26.,`

.As is the usual practice, the brake `lever 28 is in its od position when swung for"` wardly as shown in Fig.` lf* The `lever 22 when the door is 'closed is inthe opposite position as shown in this ligure so that the operator is not likely to grasp the door operating lever when Vhe desires tooperate the brake, the levers normally occupying the opposed relation shown. i

To reduce friction `on the operating rod the front cross sill 4 has a pair of supporting rollers 33 mounted thereon, thesegrollers be" ing grooved toV support the rod against lat-V eralmovement. Iialso providelafpair of Vsupporting 'rollers 34; which are mounted onv one of the cross sills, preferablytheffront one as illustrated, these rollers being spool#- like in form allowingfor thelateral swingf ing of the rear'end `of the rod occasioned by its-connection to the arm 21.

My improved door-operatingineans is so arranged that Vit is, not likely to be injured by accident, the connecting or operating rod being also supported so thatit does not vi brate'and it cannot be injured by the movement of the body on its springs. While my improvements are especially designedk for operating `a "rearside exit door for motor busses, they `are readily adapted for einer# gency doors sometimes located in the rear end wall of the vehicle. 1 l Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Let#A ters Patent is:

l, ln a motor jacentits rear end, a passenger body mountshown` by dotted The connections forn lthis lever to vehicle', the combination of` a chassis provided with cross members ad" ed on said chassis and having a drivers seat disposed at the front thereof and at the left of its longitudinal center, said body having a rear side door platform disposed in a plane below the planeV 'of said chassis-cross members, `said bodyA having cross sills, arear door, an operating shaft therefor disposed form and having an arm on its projecting end, rock shaft" hanger mounted `centrally on`` said chassis cross members, a vertically disposed roclrsliaft mounted on said hanger and provided witharms on its upper and lowerends, a link connectinguthe arm on the i lower end ofrsaidfrock shaft to `said arm on vertically to-project below said kdoor platsaid door shaft, a door 4operating lever disf posed centrally-of said vehicleV at the right side of said drivers seatwiththe lower end ofthe lever projecting belowthe plane of saidbodyv cross sills, door operating rod posed below the cross sillimmediately at the rear of said doorloperating lever `and coniiectedto'the lower end of said lever, there being :a `pluiality of the 4body sills between having 'afdownwardly bent front end .disf' said rock `shaft and door operating lever having openings therein in which said operating rod is reciprocatingly supported,`

the openings in said sills .adjacent saidrock shaft being horizontally elongated to permit limited lateralmovement ofthe rod, a

pair ofV grooved supporting rollers for said actuating rod mounted Von the front sill through `which the rod is' arranged, and a second pair ofspoolllilre supporting rollers mounted on one of the rear sills having'the Y f elongated opening therein too support said rodV and-permit limitedlateral swinging of the rear end thereof;

2. 'In amotor'vehicle, the combination of` a" chassis provided with cross members` adjacent its rear end, apassenger body mountedonfsaid chassisand having a drivers seal?` disposed at, the front thereof and atthe i left of its longitudinal "center,` said body having-a erear side door platform disposed in a plane below the plane of said chassis cross members, said bodyhaving cross sills,`

rear door, an operating sha-ft therefor disposed vertically to project below said door platform and having an armon its projecting end, a rock shaft hanger mounted eenV` trally on said chassis crossmembers, avertically disposed roclr shaft mounted on `said hanger and provided with arms on its upper and lower ends, a link connecting thel arm on the lower end of said roclr shaft to said ar'm on said door shaft, aldoor operating 1everdisposed centrally of said vehicle at the1 right side `of said drivers seat with the lower end ofthe lever projecting below the' plane of said' body cross sills, and a door operating rod having a' `downwardly bent ica` frontend disposed below the cross sill immediately at the rear of said door operating lever and connected to the lower end of said lever, there being a plurality of the body sills between said rock shaftand door operating lever having kopenings therein in which said operating rod is reciprocatingly supported.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of l a chassis provided with cross members adjacent its rear end, a passenger body mounted on said chassis and having a drivers lseat disposed at the front thereof and at the left of its longitudinal center, said body having a rear side door platform disposed in a plane vbelow the plane of said chassis cross members, a rear door, an operating shaft therefor disposed vertically to project below said door platformand having an arm on its projecting end, a rock shaft hanger, a vertically disposed rock shaft mounted on said hanger' and provided Witlia pair of arms, a link connecting one arm on the lower end of said rock shaft to said arm on said door shaft, a

door operating lever disposed centrally ofsaid vehicle at the right side of said drivers Seat, and a door operating rod` connected to the other arm of said rock shaft and toV said door operating lever. Y y

4. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination of a passenger body provided with a rear door and having cross sills, an operating shaft for said rear door provided with an aim, a rock shaft mounted centrally `of the body and provided with a pair of arms, a link connecting one arm of said rock shaft to said arm on said operating shaft, a door operating lever at the front of said vehicle with its lower' end projecting below the plane of said body cross sills, a door operating rodhaving a downwardly bent front end disposed below the cross sill immediately at the rear of said door operating llever and connected to the lower end thereof, there being a plurality of the body sills between said rock shaft and door operating lever having openings therein in which said operating rod is reciprocatingly supported, the openingsin said sills adjacent said rock shaft being horizontally elongated to permit limited lateral movement of the rod, a pair ofv grooved supporting rollers for said actuating rod mounted on the front .sill through which the rod is arranged, and a second paii of spool-like supporting rollers mounted on one of the rear sills having the elongated i opening therein to support said rod and persupport 'said rod and .combination ofv apassenger body provided with a rear door and with cross sills having openings therethrough, an operatingshaft for said rear door provided with an arm, a rock shaft mounted centrally of said body and provided with a pair of arms, a link connecting one of said arms on said rock shaft to said door operating shaft,-a door operating lever at the front end of said vehicle, a door operating rod reciprocatingly mounted in said openings in said cross sills and connected to said leverand to theother arm of said roekshaft, the opening in a sill adj acent the` rook shaft being elongated, and a pair of spool-like supporting rollers mounted on said sill .andhaving the elongated opening-to support said rod and permit limited lateral swinging thereof. l

6. AIii a vehicle ofjthe class described, the combination of a passenger body provided with a rear door and with al cross sill having an opening therethrough, an operating shaft for said reai' door provided with an arm, a rock shaft mounted centrally of said body .and provided ywith a pair of arms, a link connecting one of said arms on said rock shaft to said door operating shaft, adoor 'operating lever at the front end ofsaid vehicle, a door operating rod -reciprocatingly mounted in said opening in said cross sill and connected to said lever and to the other arm of said rock shaft, and a pair of supporting rollers mounted on said sill and to support said rod.

7. In a vehiclefof the .class described, the

spool-like supporting rollers mounted yon said sill and having the elongated opening to permit limited vlateral swinging thereof.

h Ii witness whereofI have hereunto set my an Y .HARRY AjFiTz'JoHN. j, 

